Don't Forget This
by Pricee
Summary: Request from RisingGundam2006. Set during 'Sick Mind', if Arcee had gone into Megatron's mind, instead of Bumblebee.
1. Chapter 1

**This was a request from RisingGundam2006. Set during 'Sick Mind'.**

* * *

Optimus lay on a berth in the med-bay, groaning in pain as he watched Ratchet scan over Optimus's optic. Arcee sat by his side holding his hand tentedly in her own, whilst the other rested over his abdomen. She occasionally wiped away a stray tear that fell from her optics.  
"Cybonic Plague." Arcee dropped her head down onto Optimus's hand, "It's only infectious if contact is made with the infected energon." Optimus, to the best of his ability, squeezed Arcee's hand . She looked up at him, both optics swimming in tears. Seeing Arcee's pain broke Optimus's spark, this wasn't meant to happen.  
"What was a plague doing in an Autobot spaceship?" Miko asked sadly from the upper railings above where the bots stood. Trying her best to keep herself in check, Arcee wiped away the tears and took a deep breath, "It's passengers were infected. The virus wiped out millions on Cybertron during the Great War." She felt her tears come flooding back as she thought of all those she had lost due to the plague. She couldn't lose Optimus to it aswell, she couldn't lose Optimus ever. She needed him to much, he kept her going, kept her strong.

Standing, Arcee pulled her hand away from Optimus's own. She unsteadily walked around to his face, never taking her optics away from his eye. It was dark and swollen, cracks ran down the sides of his optics and the light of his optic was dimmed and had a tinge of purple to it.

"Cybonic plague was engineered in the Decepticon Biological-warfare programme. By Megatron himself." Ratchet spoke gravely. Arcee reached her hand out, gently stroking the side of Optimus's face. She trailed her fingers upwards, towards his optic, when Optimus's hand came up to grasp her wrist and pull her hand away.

"Don't touch... my wound. I don't... want you... to get sick." He weakly pushed out his words as he held her hand over his spark.  
"You have a cure don't you?" Raf spoke up from the railings.  
"No... cure." Optimus's voice was raspy and low.

"Optimus please. Save your strength." Ratchet pleaded with his commander. Arcee kissed Optimus's healthy optic whilst his grip tightened on her hand as pain coursed through him.  
"Would Megatron create a disease without having a cure? I mean, what if he caught it by accident?" Jack made a good point, and they all knew it. If Optimus was going to be saved, Megatron was the only one who could do it. But that was out of the question.

"It's not like we can ask Megatron, Jack. He's pushing up lug nuts."

"But... we might be able to access the Decepticon data-base. For the moment, we still have a fix on their warships location." The team knew what Ratchet wanted them to do. Sneak aboard the Nemesis and save Optimus.  
"Bumblebee, come with." Arcee made to pull away from Optimus, but he tightened his grip on her.  
"Don't... go. Please" He rasped, his optics locked on hers, all his emotions flooding to her.  
"I can't stand here and watch you die. I'll come back." She whispered to him. She kissed his forehead, cheeks and lips as she felt his hold slacken but not completely let go, "I love you." She whispered into his audio receptor. She removed herself from his reach before he changed his mind. She and Bumblebee prepared themself for the mission as Bulkhead readied the bridge. Arcee could hear Optimus's pained groans from by the bridge as Ratchet turned his head to face her and Bee.  
"Arcee. Quickly." Nodding, she and Bumblebee took off into the green vortex.

* * *

The two Autobots broke into the Decepticon war-ship guns at the ready. After accessing their surroundings, Arcee took point.  
"Lets start with the lab." The noise of a door opening forced the two into hiding. Arcee jumped up into the rafters, while Bumblebee ducked behind a wall. Knockout was oblivious to Arcee over his head as he walked past them. "Come on. The labs in here." The door re-opened for the Bots. "You keep watch, I'll search the data-base." Arcee instructed as she began to comb through each file on the data-base. Bumblebee stood watch by the door before surveying the lab. "I'm in the network." Arcee open commed to base. Slamming her fist on the keyboard, she huffed angrily. "If it's here, I don't see it."  
 **'Arce you certain, Arcee?'**  
"I've searched every file. Nothing."  
 **'Well search again! Clearly you missed something!'** Ratchet angry voice blazed through the comm. In her peripheral vision, she could see Bumblebee peering through the seperate labratory room. She took no notice. "I scanned the entire data-base!"  
 ** _'Cee... you should come and see this...'_** For now she ignored Bumblebee, Ratchet wasn't taking no for an answer.  
 **'Did you a redundant quantum algorithm?'**

Arcee rolled her eyes, "Don't tell me how to research! You think your the only one who cares about Optimus?" Her question didn't need an answer. Ratchet, and everyone else, knew the extent of Arcee and Optimus's feelings for each other.

 _ **'Seriously Cee. You need to see this!'**_  
"What is it!" Arcee reluctantly moved away from the monitor. Since he lost his voice-box, Bumblebee's eyes were the main give away for his emotions. As she approached him, she could see fear and confusion in his eyes.  
 **'What is it? Whats going on?'**  
The door opened as Arcee gasped in surprise, "It's Megatron! He's alive!" Since the comm-link was open, everyone in the base could hear her, and she could hear all of them. She could hear Miko's shocked gasp and Jack's shout of **'What!'**. Arcee and Bumblebee cautiously walked into the room, guns pointed at Megatron's still body. **'That's not possible!'**  
"Well I'm staring right at him. Good news is, Megatron isn't exactly staring back!" Aiming her gun at Megatron's head, Arcee prepared to take the kill shot. End him once and for all. Her spark ached when she heard Optimus weakly groan.  
"He's critical. Hooked up to life-support. Time to finish this once and for all." Her gun loaded up and she could see Bumblebee doing the same from the other side of the berth.

 **'WAIT! DON'T!'** Ratchet shouted to her.  
"Give me one good reason! Fast!"

 **'Megatron may be Optimus's only hope of survival."** Arcee's aim faltered and she decelerated her gun.

"What are you talking about?" Bumblebee watched her from his position, all the while keeping a guard on the door.  
' **Does he display brain-wave activity?'** Arcee moved over towards the monitors. The tubes attached to Megatron all linked to this machine.

"Spiking hard," Bumblebee came up behind her to see for himself, "His sick minds still at work." She seethed. Shock once again coursed through her as Ratchet announced, **'Perfect!' 'If a cure exists, Megatron may be the only one who knows it. You must enter his brain, and find it.** ' Arcee and Bumblebee locked optics in surprise. How would they be able to search Megatron's mind, what with his being borderline deceased before them.

"Enter Megatron's brain? Ratchet are you out of your fragging mind?"

 **'The Decepticon labratory should contain all the equipment you need for a Cortical Psychic patch.'**  
"No way!" Arcee knew all to well about the patch, having experienced it at he hands of Shockwave before coming to Earth. "Have you ever even performed the procedure?"  
 **'No.'** It definitely wasn't the answer that she wanted, ' **But I have thoroughly studied the theoretical literature. Invented by Decepticons; Outlawed by Autobots.'**  
"Can't we just haul Megatron though the Ground-bridge? Buy us some time to figure this out?" Arcee's audio processor ached at the volume Ratchet spoke with.

 **' Time is one thing that Optimus does not have! One of you must try this! I will not allow Optimus to pass, knowing that Megatron will out-live him!'**

Letting out a deep sigh, Arcee looked at Megatron. The mighty warlord looked weak in his current state. Her mind drifted to Optimus, and ow weak he looked on that berth. Wounded and tired. She couldn't let him die like that. "Ratchet I would lay down my life for Optimus. If a mind-body split is the only way, I'll do it."  
 **'Arcee... No! I can't... let you... do this. Please.'**

"Optimus, if I don't you'll die. I can't lose you either. I can do this." She tried her best to reassure him, but she herself was worried. She barely survived the last mind-body split that she'd endured. It was a dangerous procedure. But Optimus was worth it.  
 **'Arcee are you sure?'** Jack spoke to his guardian in an apprehensive tone. He didn't know the full consequence of the split, but he was still worried about the idea of it. "I will be fine."  
 **'Cee is one of the best scout's Cybertron had. She can do this Jack.'**  
Bulkheads words were aimed at Jack, but were also a reassurance to Optimus, who was just as worried about his femme.

 **'The equipment you need should be in the lab. You will need a...'**

"I know what we need Ratch. Not my first encounter with the split." Arcee pulled a large wire out of a hidden cupboard and attached it to the back of Megatron's head. She jumped into a hidden dip in the floor and calmed herself, while Bee hid the wire from plain sight.  
"Ratchet, we're ready." She informed as Bumblebee joined her. Arcee handed Bee the end of the tube as she dipped her head forward, **'Initiate Cortical Psychic Patch.'** Ratchet instructed. Bumblebee gently pushed the end of the tube into Arcee's head, twisting it slightly into position. She tensed up and her optics flickered as the patch activated. Gently, Bumblebee took hold of Arcee's shoulders and held her against him. He rested her in between his legs, one of his guns activated as a precaution while the other held the femme close to him.

For her part, Arcee's world turned black and specks of light came rushing into her vision, as if she'd rubbed her optics to hard. She relaxed against Bee's chest. Rainbow colours shot at her from her optics as her vision became clearer. the lights moved faster and she came to her senses, not in Bee's arms. On Cybertron.


	2. Chapter 2

Arcee stood in the orangey smoked ruins of Cybertron. She looked all around her. The buildings were destroyed. Debris littered the floor. Rusted bodies of fallen Cybertronians were strewn up against the broken buildings. There were far off noises of fire and explosions. She could see mirages in the distance, brought on from the heat. She took a shaky step on the cracked floor, heading down a long pathway above a smelting pit.

 **'Communications downlink activated. This will allow us to see and hear everything that Arcee does within Megatrons sub-concious mind.'** Arcee felt some what more secure knowing that Ratchet would pull her from the mission, should any complications arise inside or our of Megatrons brain.  
 **'Woah. Wheres that?'**  
"By the looks of it, Kaon. The Decepticon capital city." Arcee took a glance at her surroundings, she could just make out the statue of Megatron that was commisioned during the early days of the war. Definitly Kaon.

* * *

Standing by Optimus, Bulkhead kept a close eye on his leaders readings. They were dropping too quickly, this mission was their one shot at helping Optimus.  
"Ratch... Optimus's vitals." Bulkhead pointed out gravely to the medic Ratchet barely turned away from the monitor, he momentarily muted their end of the comm.

"I know. Don't say anything much to Arcee. She needs to focus."  
"Arcee..." Optimus groaned. He was in a hallucinogenic state. The plague progressing rapidly through his systems.  
"She's fine Optimus. She will be back here soon."

* * *

' **Quickly Arcee. I know you're in unknown territory, but you must figure out where information might be stored in Megatron's mind.'** Arcee climbed the tall staircase after reaching the end of the seemingly endless pathway. The smelthing pit far down below making the air muggy and hot. Scanning her surroundings, Arcee stopped. There, stood tall and strong, Optimus was looking dead at her. Only not. It was like he couldn't see her, she wasn't there. With his battle mask drawn and fists clenched, Optimus stood looking off at the ruins of Cybertron.  
 **'How is Optimus there?'**  
 **'Miko, that is not Optimus. But a figment of Megatron's mind. It can not see of hear Arcee.'**  
"Good to know." Arcee walked closer to the Prime look-a-like. Megatron's sadistic laugh filled her audio-receptors and the base. Arcee turned to face the warlord.  
"Ratch, can he see me?"  
 **'I don't know, I wouldn't reccomend trying it out though.'** Arcee stayed behind Prime's large bulk remained facing away from the tyrant.

"Optimus Prime. Your Autobot armies are defeated. Each and everyone of them dead or dying. But, I will make sure to take good care of your femme for you. Now, bow before your new master."  
"Never Megatron. One shall stand; one shall fall." Optimus's sword withdrew from his arm as he too turned.  
"Why the sword? Why not the gun?" Arcee spoke, mainly to herself, as Optimus stood ready to fight.  
"So be it." Megatron drew his gun, jumping down from his perch. The two stood for a moment in a stand-off, before charging at each other, head on. Megatron's bladed gun went straight through Optimus's chest, evaporating him into grey smoke.

Arcee's optics widened. She knew that this wasn't the real Optimus, her Optimus, but it still hurt to watch him die. She needed to find the cure. **'That never happened!'**  
 **'It's not a memory, we're seeing Kaon how Megatron has recreated it, in his darkest dreams.'**  
 **'Does Megatron have a thing for Arcee?'** Arcee's optics rolled at Miko's question, but said nothing. She would deal with that later. Right now, she needed to keep track of Megatron and find the cure. From the rock that Arcee was hiding behind, she saw some changes in the structure. The rock moving as pieces carved themself and shifted around. Seconds later, another replica of Optimus was standing up from the rocks.  
"Megatron, your treachery ends here." His sword came out yet again. With a careless swing of his arm, Megatron retracted his blade and aimed the gun at Optimus. Momentarily forgetting where she was and who this was, Arcee's instinct to protect both her leader and her love overcame her and she ran to intercept the blaster fire. But, the shot went straight though her, dissolving Optimus on impact.

As a shadow cast, Arcee could feel Megatron's menacing presence above her.

"Optimus's femme. The punishment for trespassing in my domain is your destruction!" Megatron raised his blade up above her and with a clean cut down, cut straight through her. No damage though. Confused, Megatron raised his blade and drew it down again, only to have it go straight through Arcee's torso again.  
"How can this be?" Megatron took another step and sliced down at Arcee again. And again, and again. Nothing.  
"Don't worry, it's a common thing. It happens to every mech, at some point." Arcee antagonised the warlord, knowing that she was, at the minute, untouchable. Megatron sliced down on her again.

* * *

The whole base could see Megatron taking swings at Arcee. Thy could hear her goading him.

"Megatron can't touch Arcee?" Raf asked, somewhat surprised, and relieved. They all looked towards Optimus as he groaned and shifted on the berth, from hearing Arcee's voice.  
"Because she's not a creation of Megatron's mind, Arcee is immune to his physical attack."  
 **'Come one, you can do it if you really try.'**  
"Is she enjoying this?" Miko asked Bulkhead quietly, earning a shrug in response from her bulky guardian.  
"Easy Optimus. You need to stay still." Bulkhead put his hand down on Optimus's chest as his leader moved around the much on the berth.

"Arcee? Where... is she?" Optimus's voice was much weaker and low now. Arcee needed to be quick.

* * *

Megatron circled her slowly. Surveying every inch of her body. Arcee's optics followed him and she kept her face as expressionless as she could, but she didn't feel comfortable, even if he couldn't touch her. "You're not wearing Phase-displacement armour; your eyes track my movements, so you're not a hologram; and I do not believe in spirits. So tell me, what are you?"

"Megatron." Optimus's voice echoed around the ruins of Kaon. Behind her stood Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee.

"Great." Arcee let out a deflated sigh. Another chance to watch them die.  
 **'Uh oh! Special guest stars.'** Miko's voice filled her audio processors.  
 **'This is not good.'**  
"I would never have guessed that." Was Arcee's only, dry. response. Megatron stepped around Arcee, shots reigned out as he roared into the air. The three Autobots disintegrated into a flurry of grey smoke.

This wasn't right. He knew that something wasn't adding up. He knew Optimus, he knew how much Optimus loved the femme. He wouldn't stand before her, and ignore her completely, especially when she was in such close proximity to himself.  
"You are real... they were not." He laughed to himself as he looked away from Arcee momentarily. "A Cortical Psychic Patch, how unexpected."  
 **'We've stirred Megatron from his oblivion. He's becoming self-aware.'**  
"If this is my subconscious... what are you doing inside me head?!" Megatron stooped down rapidly, into Arcee's face. His voice loud and raspy.

* * *

Bumblebee sat in the shadows of the lab, Arcee still in between his legs, resting against his chest. He held her protectively with one arm, whilst the other was loaded and ready to protect her, should the need arise. _**'Come on** _**_Cee. Optimus is waiting for you.'_**  
The sound of the lab door opening attracted Bumblebee's attention. Knockout, Starscream and Soundwave all entered. Bumblebee gently lifted Arcee out of his lap, being mindful of the tube attached to her head. Lying her down carefully, he stood in a position where he could see both the Cons and Arcee.  
"Knockout, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave, for the historical record." "Simply put: Unaided, Megatron could remain in this death-less slumber forever."  
"Our Master would not have wanted to be seen this way. To stand idly by as he remains captive in his own body, is not just." Soundwave pointed out the spiking activity on the monitors.  
"Brainwave activity. Not evidence of conciousness, but merely of an endless dream from which Megatron may never wake."  
"Soundwave, we must face reality. Megatron is lost to us."  
"The only honourable option would be to show him mercy."

Starscream were up to something. They were trying to bump Megatron off. And knowing Soundwave would never consent, the pair were trying to deceive him. "A simple throw of the switch."  
"Quick, Painless, Compassionate."  
 _ **'Ratchet, what do I do?'** _ Bumblebee commed base, knowing that Ratchet had ears on him as well as Arcee.  
 **'If Megatron perishes, Arcee's mind will remain separated from her body, forever.'**  
 **'We'll lose Arcee and Optimus?** ' Jack's terrified screech came through the link. Bumblebee knew he couldn't let the pull the switch, but how could he stop them and keep Arcee protected?

* * *

"The only way you could have entered my mind is through Cortical Psychic Patch; but the question remains. What happened to me?" Arcee stepped back as Megatron closed in on her again. Megatron's face went blank and his optics widened, as he looked deep into Arcee's optics, "The Space bridge explosion. And yet, if you're in my head, I am not one with the Allspark. So tell me Arcee, do I still function?"  
 **'Arcee! We are out of time!'** Arcee needed a plan and fast.  
"I'm only here for the cure. Cybonic Plague. Remember that? Killed millions on Cybertron, Autobot and Decepticon. That's the only reason I would come in here." Blunt and straight to the point, hopefully it worked.  
"Cybonic Plague? Someone besides myself is... is unwell?" Arcee nodded slowly and as the realisation dawned on Megatron, he began to laugh. His sadistic, hate filled laugh. "Optimus. Such irony! That after ages of endless battle, the mighty Optimus Prime is felled by a simple virus from the distant past. And what makes you think I would save the life, of my oldest enemy?"

Arcee didn't know. How was she going to get the cure now he knew Optimus was the one dying. The pair had duelled and tried to kill each other for millennia, why would Megatron save Optimus.  
"Megatron, our treachery is..." Yet another Optimus appeared, only for Megatron to dispatch him with a single shot to the spark. That's it. Megatron and Optimus had been duelling for millennia, to kill each other. Megatron wanted Optimus dead, they all knew that, but did he really want to let the plague finish him off?  
"I know what you want Megatron, I know what you want most."  
"Oh and what do I want most, Arcee?"  
"That. Right there. You want to kill Optimus. End the war and have the Cons win. You want to be the one who kills Optimus Prime." Megatron let out an amused chuckle.  
"Did you not see? I do slay Optimus by my own hand; at will. Whenever I desire. In here, I do as I please. I kill Optimus and any Autobot I desire, whenever I desire."  
"But they aren't real. You know that killing these replicas won't come close to how it would be to kill the real Optimus. To kill all the Autobots left on Earth. This is make believe, you want reality. If you let the plague kill Optimus, you'll never have your chance."

* * *

"Smart." Team Prime watched as Megatrons's expression changed. He became thoughtful. Arcee was 'getting inside his head'.  
"Good thinking. She's playing off of his desires."  
"Twisted."

* * *

Bumblebee prepared to shoot the three Decepticons down as Starscream took hold of Megatron's life support tube. "Going... going..." Soundwave pointed over to the corner. He had seen the tube that connected Arcee to Megatron. _**'Scrap.'**_ Bee moved Arcee gently away from plain view as Starscream inspected the end of the tube connected to Megatron, thankfully leaving it in place.

* * *

"After our deep history together, to not watch the spark ebb fro Optimus's eyes with my very own..."

"You can only do that if he survives. I need the cure." Arcee knew she was running out of time, she needed the cure now.  
"Well played femme." Megatron released the cure from a date link in his wrist, holding his hand at a height where she could see, "The chemical forula for the cure you seek; not that I expect you to know how to read it."  
"You'd be surprised at the things I can do." Arcee reached out for the cure. Megatron snatched it away before she could reach it though,  
"What are you doing?"  
"Not yet."  
"Why, Optimus will die, and you will lose your chance."  
"And how am I to accomplish, terminating Optimus, as you propose, while I am trapped here in a perpetual day dream? Once you release me from this prison, you will have the cure. You must guarantee my recovery, or Optimus fades to gun metal grey, as you've witnessed already." Now what?

* * *

 **'Bumblebee, we have the formula, disconnect Arcee now!'** Ratchets voice echoed through the comm. Quickly, Bumblebee pulled the tube from Arcee's head, as Starcream got closer to them.

* * *

The world around them started shaking. The final buildings stood in 'Kaon' crumbled and the ground chipped away. The smoke swirled all around Arcee and Megatron. Debris flew through the air into a bright green and white light. "You were watching! You tricked me!"  
"I was always told, you can't con a Con. Rumours aren't always true I guess." Arcee could feel herself being taken off the ground. And as she flew up through the air, Megatron gave chase and jumped into the flow. Arcee disintegrated as Megatron charged straight into her.  
"No! Take me with you! Take me!"

* * *

As Arcee and Megatron's connection ended, Bumblebee stood, both guns ready, over Arcee. Starscream dipped his head into the crevice and laid eyes on the two Autobots.  
"What is this?" He shouted, shocked. Arcee still lay on the floor, unmoving and unresponsive. **_'Ratchet, a bridge would be good. And some help, Arcee isn't moving._ '** The bridge immediately opened behind them and Bulkhead charged through it, guns loaded. Bumblebee picked Arcee up into his arms as Bulkhead knocked Starscream out of the way. Taking one shot at Megatron, he knocked the tube attached to his spark clean away from, his body, before running back through the closing bridge.

* * *

As the cure took action on Optimus, Ratchet turned his attention to the still unresponsive femme, on the berth next to the Commander.  
She'd not awoken or moved since she was disconnected, almost 3 hours ago.  
"Ratchet, is she OK?" Jack was stood on the closest railings to his guardian.  
"She should be. The removal of the tube disconnected a few circuits, her drives crashed. I've put the circuits back into place, I am bringing her our of stasis now." Ratchet made some commands in Arcee's monitors. Her optics slowly cam back online. She shakily sat up, Bumblebee holding her steady with a hand on her back and shoulder. 'You OK, Cee?'  
"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Optimus?" She looked over to her side and saw Prime trying to stand. Ratchet went his side and held one arm around his mid section, as Optimus's arm on his shoulder. "That's it. Steady." Standing as steadily as he could manage, he held a hand up to those applauding him.

"Please. Reserve the hero's welcome for my physician. And for Arcee." Optimus took a shaky step over to Arcee's berth and crouched down by her. Gently taking her face into his hand, he drew her in for a soft kiss. Once broken, the two rested their foreheads against one another. The team clapped for the them.  
"Optimus, I need you to rest up. Your systems need time to recover properly. And you Arcee, I want you to take it easy for the rest of today, you should be fine tomorrow. Bulkhead, Bumblebee, take the children home please, it is getting late." The two mechs transformed on the medics orders and with a final goodnight, the kids drove away with the bots. "Now you two, go on. Rest."

Optimus picked Arcee up into his arms and carried her down the hall ways to their berth room. "I can walk." Arcee stated as she rested her head against Optimus's strong chest.  
"Ratchet said rest."  
"You need it more then I do."  
"Find someone that can carry me." Arcee smirked against his chest.  
"Fine."  
The two reached their room and Optimus shut the door behind them. He lay her down gently, lying down next to her. Arcee pushed her lips onto his passionately, her hands stroking his chest. "Ratchet said rest." Optimus groaned out as she moved her kisses down his jawline to his neck. "When has that ever stopped us." Arcee climbed up to straddle Optumus, as one of his hands held onto her aft, the other pulling her head down to his lips again.

* * *

Optimus and Arcee lay sleeping, both their bodies naked and tangled up, blanket pulled up to their shoulders. Faces inches apart.  
Arcee's optics shot open. The usually full blue and lavender cirlces darkened. **'I'm out... Or should I say in.'**


	3. Chapter 3

_Explosions rocked the ground. Gun fire sounded all around them. A black fog had descended all over the battle-field. Hundreds of dead soldiers were strewn across the floor, Autobot and Decepticon. Vehicon's patrolled around the recently captured territory, looking for living Autobots, or and teams that were being sent in to recover the wounded. In the middle of the captured city, Megatron threw Bumblebee against the wall of a tall building._

 _"Tell me what I want to know Scout! What are Optimus's plans? Where are the Autobots hiding? Answer me!" The warlord grabbed Bumblebee by the neck and held him high in the air, "Now!"_  
 _"Never Megatron!" Bumblebee wheezed out, feeling the hand that was gripping his voicebox tightening. He was battered and weak, captured and defenceless._

 _Roaring in rage, Megatron threw Bumblebee to the ground. Energon poured from his neck. Reaching up to grasp at the wound, Bumblebee attempted to speak, only for nothing to happen. "You made your choice Scout, now you won't tell anyone anything." With a final chuckle, Megatron left Bumblebee for scrap._

* * *

Arcee shot up from the berth, panting rapidly and gripping at the blankets. Optimus came up straight after her, pulling her into him.  
"It's OK. You're OK." He soothed her as he felt her cling onto his protoform chest, her hands trying to find something to latch onto, "It was just a dream."  
"No. It was real. Too real." She whimpered against him. She inhaled in his scent as she clung to his chassis; it was familiar, safe. She felt slight tears brimming her optics, trying to push them back down.

"You're OK. I've got you." Optimus's calm manner soothed her considerably. Why was she so afraid? It was a dream. A dream that happened in the past, but still, just a dream. She knew that Megatron was gone, and Bumblebee was safe. The team looked out for one another, everyone had everyone's back. They were all fine. Arcee nuzzled her head against Optimus's chest, enjoying the feeling of him running a hand up and down her back, whilst playing with her winglets with the other.  
"I know. I'm sorry I woke you." She reached a hand up to stroke his face.  
"No need to apologise, my love." Optimus pulled them both down to lie on the berth, still holding Arcee tightly into himself, "What did you see?"

"An old memory." The memory may not have been entirely hers, but Arcee had been there. That day at Tyger Pax when Bumblebee lost his voice. She saw the destruction first hand. Her team, the Delta team, had been sent in to rescue any wounded, as they were the top stealth team in the vicinity of the battle. She and Tailgate had found Bumblebee, saw how injured and weak he was. She waited outside Ratchet's field med-bay for hours, having known Bumblebee prior to the battle, and wanting to be there when he came too. Help him as he came to grips with his injury and the loss of his voice. Optimus let the matter slide. He had been with Arcee for a long time. It wasn't uncommon for her to have dreams of old memories. Most commonly it was memories of seeing Tailagte die. Now, with the loss of Cliffjumper, she was having dreams of him too. He knew that pushing her to talk about what she saw would only make her feel worse, holding her and making her feel safe was the best option to aid her.

Optimus held Arcee close to his spark as she calmed down. She listened to his spark beat, calm and steady. The sound soothed her back to sleep in his arms as he too fell back into recharge. **'It's only a matter of time before Optimus realises there is something wrong with you. I must get back to my own body.'** The raspy voice echoed through Arcee's head. She could hear it, but it didn't seem real. It was like a dream. It seemed like the voice was the only thing in her mind. Nothing else there. An empty space for it to rein free, **'Which means, I need to take complete control of yours.'** Her mind brought her back to the space bridge explosion, she saw Optimus getting hit; the Terracons rising up from Cybertron and towards the Space bridge. The explosion as the Terracons reached out towards her; then nothing, just darkness.

* * *

Arcee drove along the streets of Jasper, Jack was at school and she was doing a quick patrol before returning to base. As she drew to a red light, she decelerated and came to a complete stop. **'If I am to return to my own body, I must first return it's functionality. How did I escape annihilation?'** She felt a weight on her chest, as if someone was jumping on her, or she'd crashed into something. A wheezy, laboured wince echoed through her audio receptors and as darkness consumed her mind, she saw 2 slitted red optics staring down at her with a smug look. **'Starscream.'** The voice faded away from her head, to be replaced with the sound of horns blaring out from behind her. A green car overtook her before she realised that the traffic light was on green and she was holding up a line of 4 cars behind her. She took off back to base.

The ride home seemed to take forever. The sun blared down on her back so much she could feel herself overheating rapidly. She pulled over onto the side of the road when her vision turned blurred and another clip of Cybertron entered her head.  
Arcee didn't know how long she was there, she only came to when she heard wheels pulling up behind her.  
 **'Cee? You OK?'** Bulkhead's voice came through her commlink. He was parked behind her, alongside Bumblebee.  
"Yeah, I'm good. Just tired, didn't sleep too good. Come on, let's get back to base." She sped off, leaving a flurry of dust behind her before either mech could reply to her odd behaviour.

* * *

"Optimus, stop." Arcee whispered into the mech's audio receptor as his hands traced her body. Her head lolled down onto his shoulder as he pressed into her body with his own and stroked her winglets slowly.  
"Why?"  
"We can't. Not here and not now. Ratchet would flip if he caught us, we aren't exactly hiding." The pair were in a corridor not far from the main hanger. Without a word, Optimus gripped Arcee's thighs tightly and pulled her close. He walked further into the base.  
"Somewhere private then."

"Does your interface drive ever stop?" She already knew the answer.  
"Not since I met you." His voice was low and seductive as he almost growled into her audio receptor. She felt a tingling in her spark, an action always brought on when he was stirring her own drive. Seeing as they were in the opposite side of the base to their quarters, Optimus walked them into a spare room, one which was intended to be used for any spare parts or weaponry, but at this point in time it was empty. As the door came to a close behind them, Optimus lay Arcee down on the floor, as he hovered himself above her. Optimus's head dropped down to Arcee's neck junction, kissing at the link between her neck and shoulder. Arcee dragged her hands down his chassis, paying close attention to his one hand, Optimus slowly felt his way down Arcee's body, going for her lower plating. His fingers ghosted across it, as he unclipped it completely.  
"We might be needed for a mission." Arcee spoke breathily, trying to ignore the pleasurable feeling of his fingers gently stoking her port. She shivered against him, arching up to meet his body.

The pair locked optics with one another, staring deep into them. Arcee breathed in deeply as Optimus's fingers slowly slid inside her, she pushed her hips down to entice him further in. Her optics went cloudy and dark, a blackness covering them. She saw Cliffjumper, his eyes glowing purple and attacking any Vehicon close to him. His lifeless, halved body lying on the ground. Images of the Terracons, flying towards her, reaching their hands out, optics purple and glowing. Voices filled her head. She saw Optimus and Ratchet fighting the Terracons in a gorge. Optimus was submerged underneath them as Ratchet too was covered by the undead soldiers. She saw herself floating in space as Bulkhead and Bumblebee fired, the shots flying in her mind. She felt herself in an explosion, the flying debris hitting her and the heat of the burning energon sending her into a feeling of stasis. Her vision came back to her slowly, but she could see Optimus's optics staring down at her, worry evident in the blue circles.

"What's wrong?" She hadn't realised that he had pulled completely away from her, now he wasn't in contact with her in any way, having stopped when she became unresponsive, "Arcee, tell me."  
"His memories, his voice. Everything goes dark and I can hear him in my head. It won't stop."  
"Who can you hear?"  
"Megatron."

Wordlessly, Optimus pulled the femme into his arms, holding her tightly into his chest. Arcee nuzzled her head into Optimus's shoulder junction.

"What's wrong with me? Why can I hear him?"  
"I don't know my love," Optimus was cut of by the sound of Ratchet's voice blaring out of his comm-link.  
 **'Optimus, Fowler needs you, it's urgent.'**  
"We will be right there, and Arcee needs your attention, it too is urgent." Optimus held onto the femme as he stood up, holding her tightly in his arms. She curled up in his arms, for now content to be held by him. "How long has this been happening?"  
"Not long, a few days max."  
"It must be something to do with your time inside his head."  
"But Ratchet saw everything I did, he did, heard everything we said. He would have noticed something."  
"It might be your mind, trauma. Ratchet told me what happened in there, his dreams." She didn't answer him, only gripped his chest harder and hugged him tighter, earning a tighter grip back from him.

* * *

The whole team was in the main hanger, apart from the kids. Agent Fowler up on the monitor.  
 **'Prime. Have you noticed any Decepticons wearing hula skirts lately?** '  
"No Special Agent Fowler, why?" Optimus spoke, Arcee still tightly in his grip.  
 **'Because I was hoping you'd have a lead on the Cons that bust into the Hawaiian Naval observatory. Place looked like it was hit by an army of wrecking balls.'**  
"Why would Cons break into an observatory?" Arcee asked as Optimus passed her from his own arms into Ratchets, who in turn took her to the med-bay.  
 **'Does the Hoit Niko Gosium ring any bells?'**  
"The space telescope." Ratchets voice could be heard from the med-bay as he hooked Arcee up to the equipment.  
 **'As of last night, missing it's primary lens.'**  
"It's difficult to guess Starscream's intent, without knowing where the lens has been taken."

 **'Good thing the lens has a tracking device; I'll send the co-ordinates'** No sooner had he finished speaking, Agent Fowler's face disappeared and was replaced with the co-ordinates,  
"The Arctic. Great; another chance to freeze our spark plugs off." Arcee's responded dryly.  
"You won't be going, you need to remain with Ratchet."  
" **Why?** " Bumblebee asked, as Ratchet pressed a few commands into the medical equipment and Arcee's optics blackened as she fell into stasis.

"Arcee is complaining of intermittent visions." Optimus clarified for the scout.  
" **What about?"**  
"She's seeing Megatron. His memories, hearing his voice."  
"Waking nightmares?"  
"Yes old friend." Optimus looked to the medic.  
" **But I thought Cee was fine. You said she was fine.** "  
"Physically. But the experience she endured seems to be having a temporary affect on her psyche. This induced power down should force her mind to rest and recover."

The co-ordinates that Fowler supplied zoomed in closer, clearly showing a large purple mass on or under the ice.  
"That's an ND7 Class; biggest unmineable energon deposit there is." Bulkhead observed the screen. Ratchet came back over to the monitors, after making sure that Arcee was in deep stasis. Optimus finally looked away from the femme, turning to the team once more, "Unmineable, until Starscream melts his way down to it, with the help of the lens."  
 **'Melting a glacier that size will cause sea levels to rise, and demolish coastal cities.'**

The team knew what they had to do, stop Starscream now. Optimus didn't want to leave Arcee, didn't want to be in a different room, but he had to, for the good of humanity. No matter how worried about her he was, he had to put it aside for now.

* * *

With the team, bar Arcee, gone, Ratchet spent his time in peace getting as much done as possible. During their basketball game with the children the previous day, Bumblebee and Bulkhead had smashed one of his tools under the ball. Now he was trying to fix it with the tools available to him. The sound of the medical equipment hooked up to Arcee was the only sound in the base. With a fleeting glance every now and again at the femme, Ratchet worked. No word had come in as of yet from the team. But, he would be on stand-by for a groundbridge, or if worst came to worst, back-up. A med-bay was set up ready, as standard precaution.

The tools currently available to him weren't working. With a final glance at Arcee before leaving, he went to the supply vault to fetch anything that could help repair it. The medical monitor in his arm was set to notify him on anything in the med-bay and his comm-link was on stand-by should he receive word from the team.

Ratchet's job wasn't in the field. It was right here, this. Communications, Medicine, Repair work, and now (much to his own annoyance) babysitting. He felt like the father of the group, to all of them, his 4 adopted sons and single daughter. He cared for them all separately, praised them on their accomplishments and disciplined them if they acted recklessly (although Optimus never received this treatment). He made sure that they were all healthy and kept close watch on them if they weren't, stayed up late into the night observing their conditions if they ever had to remain in the med-bay, recharging very little until they were out. He had no time to be out in the field, not with his commitments to the base, and someone had to watch Miko.

Not 5 minutes after leaving the main hanger, Ratchet's medical monitor lit up. He quickly came back to the hanger to find the groundbridge fired up and Arcee gone.  
"She was in power down; where does she think she's off to?"  
Checking the co-ordinates used to send the groundbridge, Ratchet saw that not only was Arcee seeing Megatron's memories, she was going to them. She was at the site where himself and Optimus had the first encounter with the Terracons and Dark Energon. Their first encounter with Megatron for 3 years.

With the groundbridge still open, Ratchet prepared to fetch his patient home; but she came back on her own. Different to herself. Arcee's optics had darkened, the pink circles had turned black and the light blue turned dark.

"Arcee? What are you doing?" Ignoring him, Arcee kept walking towards the groundbridge controls. Grabbing her arm and pulling her hand up, Ratchet saw the purple, glowing rock in Arcee's hand, "Dark energon?"

Arcee lifted her other hand and pushed Ratchet away, with a strength that was unusual for her. She calmly mad her way to the controls as Ratchet tried getting up, his back aching from the way he hit the floor. Changing the co-ordinates, Arcee ran away. Pulling himself to his feet, Ratchet activated his comm-link.  
"Agent Fowler, Can you find an alternate way of taking the children home today? The team haven't yet returned."

"No Agent Fowler, I need to assist one of the team, you must take them home." Ratchet hung up. The groundbridge still spun, the green vortex bringing in a draft from wherever Arcee went. The co-ordinates, when Ratchet checked them, were almost exactly the same as those used by the team earlier. "Dark energon, the only one who knew of it's location was Megatron. The time spent in his head gave her more then just nightmares, she's thinking like a Decepticon. Of course, how could I have not seen this before? The patch acted as a two way conduit; when she left, he followed. Megatron is occupying Arcee's mind."

* * *

The Decepticon warship was dimly lit and surprisingly empty when Ratchet arrived. Around every corner he found drones, either dead or in stasis, all badly wounded. The pathway to the med-bay left wide open for him. Arcee was stood over Megatron's body, hooked up to him in the Cortical Psychic patch once more.  
"No." Arcee looked up as Ratchet charged at her, she sidestepped out of the way and kicked him in the side before he could react, sending him to the other side of the room. She turned on the machine and her optics faded to black, stumbling slightly she caught onto the berth to steady herself. **"Megatron can not be resurrected.** " Ratchet thought to himself as he pulled himself up from the floor, taking advantage of Arcee's current unawareness.

As he saw the normal blues and purples of Arcee's optics come back, as opposed to that she had when Megatron was in control, he reached up to Megatron's spark tube and ripped it from his chest, "So long, Megatron."

Arcee, with ease, threw him away from the immobilized warlord. With a single motion she plunged the dark energon into his gaping chest cavity, his red eyes flaring to life in an instant.  
Megatron was alive.

* * *

"Megatron's greatest mistake was ever allowing you to live, Prime!" Starscream screamed as he nose-dived the floor, aiming for Optimus, lying in a snowy crater. Missiles prepared to launch from his sides. But they never left their holsters. Starscream was pushed away by the much larger aircraft flying at him from the side.  
"Megatron." Optimus groaned, before standing up weakly.

" **He's back."** Bumblebee and Bulkhead saw the warlord taking Starscream after watching Breakdown drive away in the opposite direction to them. Regrouping, Optimus put his hand to his comm-link, "Ratchet, we need a bridge."

"You are not the only ones." Ratchet came from behind the large glacier. His face sullen and dropped. Seeing no trace of Arcee, Optimus raised his hand once again to contact the base, "Arcee, send a..."  
"Optimus." Prime took his hand down and looked at Ratchet once again, "She's not there."  
"Where is she then?" Bulkhead spoke up from Optimus's side. Ratchet's head dropped, looking down at the snow below him.  
"Ratchet?"Optimus took a small step forward.  
"Optimus, she's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

_The battles had raged all day long. Everyone was tired and weak; the base was almost abandoned. The hospital was the only place that seemed alive. Mechs and femmes running around searching for their loved ones in the rabble of wounded soldiers; medics attending to all the patients that they could as fast as they could. Optimus walked the halls of the base. With the silence of the base, the hospital could be heard from even fully on the opposite side of it. All the doors he passed were closed and locked tight, their inhabitants getting as much recharge as they could before they were undoubtedly called back into action. Optimus couldn't help but wonder if the Decepticon base was like this. If Megatron wandered the halls of his own base hearing the wounded cries shout out through the silence. Following the halls through the base, he stopped in front of a door. As he raised his hand to knock, the door opened._  
 _"I heard you walking." Arcee spoke as she moved out the way of the door, a silent invitation to enter, "It's quiet enough to hear a screw drop." Once he was completely inside, Arcee let go of the door, the sound of the lock mechanisms echoing in the eerie quietness._

 _"I'm sorry for visiting so late, I just needed to make sure that you were safe. I heard that your team came under some heavy Decepticon fire today. Are you well?" Optimus leaned down in front of the femme, who'd taken a seat on her berth. His hand reached out to stroke her cheek gently. She nodded softly, her face staying cupped in his hand. A small smile came to Optimus's face as he looked into the femme's optics._

 _Truth be told, he'd been enamoured with her for some time now. Always finding different reasons to visit her or be near her. All he wanted was to take her in his arms and worship her body, make her feel the love he felt for her._  
 _With her cheek still pressed into his palm, he pulled her slowly towards himself. His head tilted sideways slightly as his lips pressed to her own; the kiss was soft and gentle. Enjoying the feeling, he clasped one hand onto her waist and held her tighter in his grasp. Upon hearing a slight moan come from her, he pushed against her lips harder, making the kiss more intense and passionate. Being mindful not to hurt her, he lowered her down onto her back on the berth, holding himself up on his free arm, that he'd removed from her face. She whimpered quietly as he clenched his fingers on her waist, obviously hitting a hotspot as he did so._

 _"Wait... Optimus..." Arcee panted in-between kisses. Being so blinded by lust and passion for the femme trapped underneath him, Optimus continued to push his lips hungrily against hers whenever she broke free of them._  
 _"You want this as much as I do." He growled seductively into her neck as he broke free from her mouth and bit the cables along her neck junction. His hand swarming over her torso and chest, occasionally roaming down to her thighs and ghosting across her lower plating, teasing the femme._  
 _"Not now." Her optics locked onto his and she could see the lust ebb from his optics as he now clearly heard her words. Loosing her from her entrapment underneath him, he pulled her up to his chest as he sat himself against the wall._

 _"I apologise."_  
 _"Don't. I want you, I want this just as much as you do. But not now. It's too dangerous." She rested her head against the doors to his spark and listened to his spark beating, strong and, although sped up after their encounter, steadily returning to normal, "The Decepticons get stronger by the day; and the war doesn't seem to be ending any time soon. It's too dangerous for us now." Turning her body so that she was chest to chest with him (and therefore straddling his waist), she looked up into his optics. Optimus in turn wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on the arch of her back; his fingers lightly stroking the arch and, occasionally, her aft, "I'm not saying never. Just not now."_

 _"I don't care about Megatron. I care about you. And nothing will stop me from loving you any less then I do now, and have for many years." Optimus gripped her tighter against his body, one of his hands trailing up her back to clasp onto a winglet, earning a pleasurable sigh from her._  
 _"It's dangerous. I don't want to be with you and then have to lose you. I don't want to open my spark to someone, and then have it die with them." Arcee stroked Optimus's cheek with a single hand, staring straight into his optics as she did so. Bringing his own hand away from her winglets, he held the back of her neck and drew her face closer to his own; he lightly pressed his lips to hers, licking her lips to earn entrance into her mouth. When she separated them slightly, he took his chance and pushed his glossa into her mouth and tasted her, before tangling his glossa with hers._

 _Pulling away from her, Optimus stared down at her optics intensely, "I don't care. I won't let anyone come between us. I will kill anyone who tries to keep us apart, even if you and I are the only ones left on this planet." Loosing her neck, he held onto her waist, assaulting her lips with his own once more. Arcee threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Optimus pushed himself off of the wall and lay her down onto the berth, fully positioning himself over her body. Arcee moaned when his hands once more stroked the insides of her thighs._  
 _"Stay with me tonight?" Arcee whispered to him as he tore himself away from her lips and trailed his kisses down her neck and chest._

 _"I will be here; every night, forever." The pairs lips melded again, as they ripped the armour from each others bodies._

* * *

Optimus sat at his desk in his and Arcee's quarters. His head in his hands as he thought everything over one more time. He'd gone over it in his head at least 10 times already, but still it seemed fake. Like a lie that was being told to test his restraint and emotional breaking point. Megatron was alive and Arcee was gone. His rival had been occupying her mind for days prior to the event on the Nemesis. He could have caused some damage: Brought the Decepticons to their location; killed them whilst they slept, it wasn't like he hadn't had the opportunity to. But he hadn't. Megatron had bided his time, used his advantage to find their weaknesses, mainly Optimus's. Arcee was that weakness. And now Megatron had taken her away from him. Everything that Optimus feared about being with her had come true. He'd been with Arcee for so long that he'd convinced himself that nothing would happen to her, the risks that confronted them at the start of their relationship were gone. The Decepticon threat was still there, but Earth was different to Cybertron, there weren't as many as their had been. Optimus had convinced himself that being off of Cybertron meant that he and Arcee didn't have the risks to their relationship any more. He was obviously wrong. She would never be safe with him.

Being so caught up in his own head, Optimus failed to notice Ratchet entering the room. The medic watched his leader for a minute or two, the mech oblivious to his presence. He seemed dead to the world, optics locked onto one spot on the floor, unmoving. He was frozen as he was, whether in a state of shock or grief, both most likely.  
"I'm sorry Optimus." Ratchet spoke as he approached Optimus slowly.  
"Tell me again." The mechs voice was low and quiet, still refusing to look anywhere other then the floor. Optimus's head remained in his hands. Ratchet took a seat on the opposite side of the desk to his leader. He looked at him intensely, before sighing gravely.

* * *

 _"So long, Megatron." Arcee, with ease, threw him away from the immobilized warlord. With a single motion she plunged the dark energon into his gaping chest cavity, his red eyes flaring to life in an instant._  
 _Megatron was alive. Arcee gripped her head , digging her fingers in hard enough to dent the metal. Dropping to the floor and with her head still in her hands, she stopped all movement. All sound ceased from her. Skidding to a stop beside her, Ratchet tried his best to check her over, but her injuries were internal, mental, not physical. There wasn't much he could do for her right now, especially with the enemy closing in all around them. A hand on his shoulder ripped the medic away from the femme and threw him across the room. With blurred vision, Ratchet could make out the Decepticon warlord picking up Arcee up; picking Optimus's femme up. As Vehicons rushed into the room, one was handed the unconcious femme by his master._  
 _"Decepticons! Your rightful lord and master has returned! Take the femme to a holding cell; finish this pest. I have my own extermination to perform." The Vehicon holding Arcee, plus another two, took off from the room. Megatron too soon followed suit, walking menacingly out of sight._

 _The Decepticons charged up their guns, all aiming at Ratchet. With the shots firing at him, Ratchet took off down into the hidden dip that Arcee and Bumblebee had hidden in when this whole mess started. Being chased by the Vehicons the whole time, Ratchet ran through the low walkways until he found and escape hatch in the wall. Taking his chance, he broke the hatch open and jumped, thankfully it wasn't too far to fall. Before hitting the floor, he transformed into his vehicle mode, making his escape as soon as his wheels came into contact with the ice._

* * *

"So you don't know if she's alive?" Optimus finally looked up from the floor, only barely though.  
"No, I didn't get the chance to find out."  
"Why? Why did he keep her?" Optimus leaned himself back in his chair, his hands gripping the ends of the arm rest tightly in anger and frustration.  
"Megatron isn't stupid, Optimus. He knows that Arcee is your -" "Don't say weakness. She doesn't make me weak, she makes me stronger. Gives me more to fight for." Optimus cut the medic off.  
"Even if she isn't a weakness in the literal sense, she makes you weaker when you're apart."  
' **So we get her back.** ' The two mechs attention was drawn to the door, where Bulkhead and Bumblebee both stood watching them, determination evident in their expression and body language.  
"And beat 10 rounds of scrap out of Megatron while we're at it." Bulkhead chimed in. The two mechs came into the room fully.

Bee picked a data-pad up off of the desk as he drew nearer. Inside was a picture of Optimus and Arcee on Cybertron. The pair were lying on a medical berth, cuddled up was after a tough day of fighting, Optimus coming back with a semi-serious wound to his waist; Ratchet keeping him in the med-bay overnight to be sure everything was OK. Optimus lying on his back, spooning Arcee into him, her head on his chest. Ratchet had taken the picture to remind them that what they had was exactly what they needed, something to come back to everyday and forget about the fighting with. Something that made the war seem like it wasn't the only thing in the world.  
"We're behind you no matter what Optimus." Bulkhead assured his leader. It wasn't a statement that was ever questioned, just something that Optimus needed to hear right now. That he wasn't alone.

"We are getting her back, no matter what." Prime spoke with his usual strong leader tone of voice finally returning to him. His whole aura changed as he sat up straight, looking dead at his team. He saw no hesitation in them. Bumblebee threw both his arms up in the air, buzzing happily and excitedly. He and Bulkhead bumped chests.

* * *

After sending his team to their rooms for recharge, Optimus lay down on the berth. It was a strange feeling there. He always slept with Arcee pressed against him; spooning her into himself. Her head pressed under his chin, her back against his chest, her aft resting against his groin. His own arms wrapped around her so that nothing could take her away while they slept.  
Now, the berth was empty. Cold, empty and, despite Arcee taking up less then half of the space, enormous. He knew he had to get her back, he couldn't continue without her.

What was happening to her right now? What was Megatron doing to her? Thats if she's still alive; Ratchet was unable to tell on the Nemesis and since returning to base, her signal had been missing. His spark flared angrily at the thought that she may be dead or, if she was still alive, about what Megatron may be doing or already done to her.

He would get her back.

* * *

 **Aww. Poor Optimus. I wanted to play Optimus's emotions in this one, and Optimus isn't the easiest to give emotions to while making him somewhat in character. So, I hope you like it.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Optimus stood outside her locked door. As much as he wanted to respect Arcee's privacy, he couldn't leave her to stew in her grief alone. He wouldn't leave her to sit alone on her berth, the lights off, as she kept going over what had happened in her head; as he knew she undoubtedly was doing now. But no matter how much he knocked the door, she refused to open the door to him. Refused to leave the room, she refused to even acknowledge that she could hear him calling and talking to her._

 _As he entered an over-riding code into the lock-pad, the door slid open slowly. As he knew it would be, the room was dark, the only light coming from the corridor behind him. Arcee was lay curled up on her berth, facing the wall and therefore away from him._

 _"Arcee?"There was no point in asking if she was OK, it wasn't a question that needed answering. Moving over to her, he knelt down beside her bed, placing his hand on her side and gently rubbing up and down._

 _"Optimus please, leave me alone." Her voice was thick and broken, an obvious edge to it that indicated that she had both been crying and was now holding back more tears._

 _"I can't do that. I told you, I will be here every night, forever."_  
 _"I don't want you to be." Optimus stretched his arm to wrap around her waist and turn her over to face him completely. The tears staining her face were clear for him too see._  
 _"You couldn't do anything. It's not your fault." He whispered as he cupped her cheek in his hand, resting his forehead against her own._  
 _"He was my partner, I couldn't save him."_  
 _"Tailgate went back to help you, he knew what the risks were and he understood what he was letting himself in for. He still went though; he went because he cared about you enough to risk it all. You would have done the same for him, no matter what I or anyone else would say to you. Tailgate wanted to protect you, help you. There was nothing that could have been done."_  
 _"If I had been able to get loose before he got there, he would still be alive!" She sat up suddenly, her eyes burning with tears, the ones brimming her optics and the ones leaking down onto her cheeks._  
 _"We don't know what would have happened if anything was different. But one thing is certain, if you'd gotten loose, they would have killed you. Airachnid keeps no prisoners long term. You wouldn't have lasted the night, neither of you would." Taking hold of her wrists, he brought her closer to his body and held her there, "You will miss him. Cliffjumper will miss him. And so will Bumblebee. But there is nothing we can do for him now. You just have to keep on surviving for him, make sure that his effort to get you out wasn't in vain. OK?"_  
 _"Yes." She whispered against him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she sat up on her knees in front of him._

 _"I was so worried about you today." Optimus spoke softly to her as he rubbed her back with a single hand, "I came straight back to base as soon as I heard that you'd been captured. I was going to come for you myself when Cliffjumper sent word that he and Bumblebee were breaching Airachnid's base. When you were in the med-bay, I never left you. I stayed until they forced me out. I was thanking Primus you were safe." With his free hand, he lifted Arcee's face to his and kissed her gently, "I love you. So much."_  
 _"I love you too." She stroked his face gently as she kissed his cheek, "I'm OK. Stay with me tonight, please, I want you to be here." She left his embrace and lay down on her berth, leaving enough space if he chose to lie with her._  
 _"I told you, I will be here every night, forever. No matter what you say, I will always be here." As he lay down, Arcee snuggled closer to him and pulled the blanket to them both._

 _"Thank you." She whispered against his neck._

* * *

Optimus woke early the next morning. Still in a sleep-like state, he reached over to Arcee's side of the berth, an action he did every morning, trying to pull her into him. When he couldn't find her body or feel her warmth, the events of the previous day came flooding back and shattered the feeling of normality that he had, until that point, been under. Rolling onto his back, he stared blankly up at the ceiling. Her scent lingered strongly on the berth; her possessions were mixed in with his all around the room and memories of her filled his mind. Torture. That's what this was, plain torture. Optimus had always hated being away from her; on Cybertron, if she had to go on a mission, he would always make sure that he scheduled himself to check up on that in the field with her or have her brought back to Iacon as soon as possible; when they were separated during the Exodus of Cybertron it killed him, they spent 7841 days (21 years and 5 months) away from each other, in the whole of their relationship, that was the longest time they'd spent apart. On Earth, he still hated being apart, even if it was less then 2 miles. Whenever she spent the night at Jack's, he would continuously check up on her via comm-link or checking her signal for any changes what-so-ever, no matter how minuscule. And now, he didn't know if he would ever be able to hold her; kiss her; hear her voice; see her again.

Optimus blamed himself, felt that if he hadn't left her, she would still be there, or at least he could have helped her. Felt that he should have noticed that something was truly wrong, more then just a glitch in her head from the patch; he should have noticed that something was truly wrong with her. Megatron was to blame. He was the one who took Arcee from him. And there was no doubt that if she was dead, or alive and even slightly hurt, Optimus would make Megatron pay for what he had done. And any Decepticon that felt he was able to touch his femme, would too pay the price. With a deep sigh, Optimus swung his legs over the side of the berth as he threw the blanket from his body, climbed out of their bed and prepared for the day ahead. They needed to tell the kids today; tell them that, unfortunately, for the foreseeable future, Arcee would be missing from their team, that's if she was alive. Optimus could hear the team moving around in the corridors, or their voices calling faintly out from the main hanger; this being a sure sign that it was time for him to join the daily routine. His whole body felt tense as he stood and moved around his room; he felt stiff and achy. He'd had an uncomfortable sleep that night. In his dreams, he saw glimpses of her from when she returned to him after Airachnid captured her on Cybertron, exhausted, traumatized and weak; all the possible things that could happen to her plagued his mind. But he could do nothing to help her; all he could do was watch as she was hurt and tormented, tortured and violated. He'd woken several times in panic, still hearing her cry in his head, as if it was truly happening in front of him. He was also so used to having Arcee there with him in the morning when he woke, having her to relax him, him to relax her. His interface drive was so used to the nearly daily routine the two had made for themselves. Optimus's private washracks was attached to the berth room, a somewhat small room, but it was large enough so that he wasn't cramped in there. As he stood under the shower, letting the cold water run down his frame, he dropped his head between his arms, which were braced on the wall to balance him, the cold water cooling his overheated body. Looking down at the floor, Optimus prepared himself for the day ahead of him. Letting the children know what had happened, and quite possibly Agent Fowler if he appeared at any point during the day, Ratchet's pitying looks towards him, and above all, preparing for her not being in range of sight, hearing or touch. He was not prepared to deal with any Decepticon activity, especially if Megatron decided to put in an appearance, he wasn't ready for it.

The main hanger was loud when he walked in, the children already having been picked up from their homes and brought into the base. With their video games tournaments already in full swing they didn't really pay attention to when he made his appearance. Bumblebee stood with them, cheering as Raf and Miko battled against each other in the racing game, that Jack had brought to base after the battle on the Space bridge. Bulkhead was stood with Ratchet, looking over something that was on the monitors.

"Hey Optimus, where's Arcee? I wasn't expecting to carpool again." Jack's voice called out to him. Bumblebee's cheering fell silent; at the monitors, Ratchet and Bulkhead stopped their conversation. All eyes turned to him, their strong, stoic leader. With a long intake of air, Optimus tried to prepare what he would say in his head. Prepare to explain why she wouldn't be around. No words came to him. His mind was at a blank; he just looked at Jack, his battlemask concealing his emotions as best it could.  
"There was a complication yesterday." Ratchet spoke up as he walked around closer to the platform where Jack was now worriedly holding onto the railings, "When Arcee was exiting Megatron's mind, he came with her. Piggybacked off her if you will. He controlled her from the inside. He's out of her head now, but there have been complications," Jack listened intently to Ratchet's words, even Miko and Raf paused their game to listen to what happened.  
"And? Where is she? In her room? Can I see her?"

"Jack, it's not that simple. Megatron left Arcee's mind quickly through the patch, but for the patch to be safe, it needs to be a slower process. Everything needs to be done with medical precision. Megatron removed himself and her from the patch in a rapid fashion, and from what I could observe, it crashed her drives. Megatron had her taken away before I could get to her."  
"So where is she?"

"On the Nemesis." Miko gasped out loud and Jack sat down on the couch, his eyes locked onto the floor, "But we are going to do everything in our power to get her back, as soon as possible." The room was in silence as the news sunk into the three.

Optimus stood silently. Arcee's absence would be a large blow to Jack too; she was his guardian, he needed her. He could feel a strong headache coming on as he stood watching from the sidelines. Miko had moved to sit beside Jack and was resting her head on his shoulder, as the raven haired boy sat with his head in his hands; Raf had moved to sit on Bee's shoulder. His team stood around the children on the platform, looking to him for what to do. Yet he couldn't say anything to encourage, or even comfrot them, he couldn't think of anything to comfort himself, let alone them. They were looking to him for guidance and for a leader, but he just felt as if he'd reversed to his former-self, Orion Pax: the archivist at the Iacon Hall of Records. Not Optimus Prime. What could he say to them?  
 **'I don't know how I'm going to get her back.'**  
 **'She might not be alive.'**  
 **'The Nemesis has the best cloaking device in the entire Decepticon army, so finding her seems to be nearly impossible, given our limited resources.'**  
 **'We don't have the fire-power to get her back.'**  
It wasn't exactly like he would be lying if he said any of these. Because he wouldn't be, they didn't have the resources to get her back and the Decepticons were too strong.

But, Optimus would do anything to get her back. She was all he fought for; the main reason he fought day-in-day-out. Optimus turned towards the exit tunnel, "Ratchet, you are in charge." Transforming, Optimus drove out of the base, trying his best to avoid looking back at his team. The sky was turning a light shade of orange, as the sun began to set. The roads were empty as he drove along the desert roads and through Jasper. The silence of his drive brought back all different memories; of him driving with Arcee's voice filling his comm-link, keeping him occupied as he drove. The way she would kiss all over his face before going to sleep each night. The way her body fit perfectly into his as he held her. Now, there was nothing. No conversation, no night-time kisses, none of the warmth her body provided him as he held her. There was nothing of her left.

* * *

"It's been almost 2 days Knockout." Megatron spoke as he stood beside the doctor, looking into the cells. Arcee's body lay strapped to a berth in the small cell, medical equipment hooked up to her, keeping her alive. Knockout opened the doors to the cell, upon Megatron's instructions.  
"It shouldn't be too long now, My Lord." The medic sauntered into the cell and stood over her seemingly lifeless body, "When you left her mind, you scrambled and, in some cases, erased data from her mind. By what I can tell from the damage, she won't remember much. How far back into her life the damages extends to is something I can't say yet." He checked over Arcee's vital signs on the small monitor above the berth. It all seemed well enough. When she awoke would be an entirely different matter. Would she remember who she was? Where she was? Or where she'd come from? Some things remained in her data, but he was blocked from seeing what they were. When Arcee woke up, she would be completely different, for better or worse.  
"In that case, erase all evidence of the Autobots from her body. If she awakens truly not knowing anything about this whole incident, we will use her to our advantage. A weapon that will destroy Optimus, after we plucked her from his very arms." With a victorious smile, Megatron turned to leave the area, but stopped after taking only a few steps, "And Knockout. When she is operational, bring her to me. There are many ways I can use her to destroy Optimus."

* * *

 **Sorry for taking such a long break, I've been working through some personal issues. But I will be updating as and when I can. Thank for being patient with me.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Sorry

Sorry for not uploading in so long. I have been ill for the past few months; I've had one of those illnesses that, no matter what I do, I just can't shake. As soon as I feel like I'm making some progress, I revert back to either the "I'm dying" phase or the "I feel like I have gone 20 rounds with John Cena and then been hit by a car going 100mph" phase (Not sure which one of these feels worse)... Not fun at all. I'm dealing with it as best as I can and now, thankfully, it is starting to fade away. I'm still not 100%, about 36% if i'm being honest, but I'm getting there. Unfortunately, I haven't had the energy to do much at all, including write more for this or any of my other stories. But, I'm going to try, to put in a really good effort to get back to writing. Hopefully, I can get a new chapter here soon, but I can't make any promises

* * *

 **The 3 "Guest" reviewers in Chapter 4** :  
I was considering bringing Elita into it, in flashbacks, not present day. I just wasn't sure how to do it or what role she would play, because I've already written that Arcee and Optimus were a couple on Cybertron. Anyone that wants Elita in, feel free to let me know how you want her to be in the story.

 **"The Anonymous Forgot My Name" (Chapter 3)** :  
Thank you for the review. I didn't really know how to portray her panic/nightmare scene. I saw some ones like it before, in this fandom and some others, where they are, as you said "grabbing, holding, even kissing their partner (or worse, slapping them) back into reality", and it just seems wrong to me too. It didn't seem like something Optimus would do, as he is quite a stoic mech. He would probably know not to do any of that. And because Arcee is so independent in the show, she would probably prefer to be left to come back to herself on her own, just comfortable with him being there with her.


End file.
